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Feral Interactive bringing two Sega Sonic games to Mac
I can't say that I'm a huge fan of Feral Interactive: They're a company that specializes in porting games from other platforms over to the Mac, and I'm more interested in natively developed and published Mac games. But I have to respect them nevertheless: Feral picked up an Apple Design Award for their port of Deus Ex: Human Revolution at WWDC last week, so they must be doing something right. And now Sega has chosen them to bring Sonic the Hedgehog to the Mac platform for the first time. Feral is going to be bringing Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing and SEGA Superstars Tennis to the Mac App Store, with both games arriving later on this summer. In addition to porting the games, they'll also be Game Center-enabled, because Game Center will be used in Apple's next OS X update, Mountain Lion. It's also interesting that Sega has already released one of these games, All-Stars Racing, on the App Store. So Feral can probably thank the iOS platform for Sega's interest in Mac gaming. I wouldn't be surprised if it's because of Sega's success on iOS that the company is dipping its toe into the Mac App Store as well.
Approved Mac OS app boasts 'Retina graphics'
As if there wasn't enough speculation already, what with WWDC just around the corner, bets are already being placed on the possibility of "Retina Display" Macs. So, when an app turns up in Mac App store mentioning "Retina graphics" under the new features list, eyebrows are understandably going to rise. Of course, this isn't the first such tease we've seen, but it's not the least convincing either. So, we're still not ready to put our money down on a retina-reveal next week just yet, but those odds do seem to be getting ever shorter.
Rogue Amoeba brings back Airfoil Speakers Touch, without direct AirPlay feature
Airfoil Speakers Touch, the iOS app from Rogue Amoeba that was yanked from the App Store last month under somewhat confusing circumstances, is back in business. The company announced today that AST has returned to sale, but it's now stripped of its marquee in-app purchase option. The ability to receive audio directly from other iOS devices or from iTunes (emulating an AirPlay hardware device), added in version 3, was removed to accommodate Apple's review requirements. When AST was first pulled from sale, Rogue Amoeba was told that it was due to the use of private APIs; the problem, as founder Paul Kafasis said on the company blog, is that the app didn't use any. The streaming functionality added in v3 was cleanly reverse-engineered, and after further conversation with Apple it was acknowledged that the original communication around the removal was poorly handled. Even with the awareness that the app met the letter of the law for approval, Apple's review team stood its ground and would not clear the app -- using the blanket (and frustrating) "we know it when we see it" rule. Kafasis's frustration with this stance is evident: "It's clear that despite previous claims, Airfoil Speakers Touch was not in fact using private APIs. The Enhanced Audio Receiving add-on was implemented entirely from scratch and conformed to Apple's published guidelines. Regardless, Apple is using the authority they provide themselves in the guidelines and program license agreement to remove apps they don't like. Specifically, they cited a provision in the App Store Review Guidelines which allows them to reject apps "for any content or behavior [they] believe is over the line". That's certainly disappointing, and frustrating, but it's the nature of the system Apple has created." Rather than leave past purchasers and future customers hanging, the company has brought the app back without the problematic AirPlay streaming feature. If you still want to stream from iTunes or another device to AST, there is a workaround guide on the Rogue Amoeba website (currently slammed with traffic).
Two Dollar Tuesday features indie apps on the Mac App Store
Two Dollar Tuesday is another indie app sale that started up just recently, but while a lot of the sales we've seen are targeted at the iOS App Store, this sale focuses on what's available in the Mac App Store instead.The idea is that every Tuesday, a few Mac App Store titles will drop down to just $2.00 and for this week, WriteRoom, Chronicle, and CodeBox have all gotten the discount. Developer Mike Dattolo is behind the sale, and he says the goal is to highlight some of the best apps on the store with a price drop, both helping them with publicity and showing off some of the Mac App Store's finest. The sale doesn't take a portion of money out of developers' pockets (of course, they have to sell for less than usual, but already, the spike in attention has proven fairly profitable). Two Dollar Tuesday makes its money by providing an affiliate link to the apps on sale, but the deal is obviously good for anyone coming along to buy the apps from anywhere. Dattolo says he hopes the sale will help get the word out about some of the best apps in the store, and show off to both customers and even Apple employees great apps that might have been passed over before.
Apple adds free App of the Week to iTunes, Editor's Choice to Mac and iOS App Store
As noticed by The Verge, Apple has started to promote apps in the iOS and Mac App Store using an "Editors' Choice" branding. The first apps to receive this distinction are Deus X Human Revolution and Cobook in the Mac App Store as well as Facebook Camera and Extreme Skater in the iOS App Store. Also, Apple is offering the 99-cent Cut the Rope: Experiments game for free as part of its "App of the Week" series. This is apparently the first time Apple has discounted an app specifically for this promotion.
"Nanny Computing" and the future of OS X
Note to readers: I failed to add a "do not pub yet" note onto this post the night before last. It was inadvertently published during our overnight before it finished research and editorial review. The post is much the same with clarification added about how and when the hotkey ban is due to go into effect, and clarifying exactly what functionality we believe is going to be forbidden in the MAS going forward. I also removed specific application names that may be affected by this change. Editor's Note: I stand behind this story due to the evidence we received, but unfortunately it is evidence we cannot share publicly. While many have claimed our story is untrue, I can tell you that due diligence was practiced and, based on the evidence we received, what was indicated by Apple stands as written. Several clarifications have been added to this story, but all I can tell people is that either Apple is unsure of what hotkey functionality is in this case, or something has changed very recently in such a way as to negate what was said previously by Apple. Therefore, we'll have to wait and see. If further evidence appears to refute what we have written, we will publish a standalone clarification. After all, it is Apple's store to do with as they wish, which includes applying policy as they see fit, or changing policy at any given time. Update: Apple later added a small checkbox that would enables the proper behavior for developers. When a developer's app was denied due to this flag, it appears Apple realized the checkbox was necessary. Unfortunately it is impossible for us to divine the reasoning behind the previous rejection or the subsequent approval and addition of the checkbox, as Apple isn't telling. It would also be impossible to divulge more without tipping our source, which was valid at the time. - Ed. As I write this, I just got off the phone with a colleague. He just now is realizing that [as far as the Mac App Store is concerned –Ed.] Apple may be end-of-life-ing all those great little hotkey shortcuts that used to let us bring an app to the forefront and do something. Apps use hotkeys to let you jump to what you want to do while you work on what you must do. Apps can set a system-wide hotkey to trigger an action or event, even when the app itself is not foremost (or is resident in the menu bar). They're on the way out of the Mac App Store as Apple paves the path to safer, more consumer-oriented computing. Apparently, Apple will allow hotkey apps that are already in the Mac App Store before June to offer only bug fixes after that. New sandboxed apps and any apps that add features (i.e. non-bugfix releases) will not be allowed to support hotkeys. TUAW has been told that Apple will be rejecting all MAS apps with hotkey functionality starting June 1, regardless of whether the new features are hotkey related or not. Basically, if you're developing one of those apps, an app that assumes you can still add hotkeys, don't bother submitting it to the Mac App Store. [Note that as far as we know this only means systemwide hotkeys, not isolated-to-your-app keyboard commands -- the latter would obviously kneecap OS X and the Mac App Store rather dramatically. –Ed.] It's not just press-to-switch apps that are feeling the pressure of the future. Many cross-app scripting utilities and macro programs already can't step foot in the App Store and will have to fight for a space on your computer under Mountain Lion's GateKeeper. The Quickeys macro program I've depended on for decades is still limping along for the moment in its creaky 4.0 build, but I don't expect it to last more than a year or so. OS X 10.9 or OS Xi, whichever comes after Mountain Lion, isn't about to let an app completely redefine the user keyboard. Those macros that let me use Emacs keys regardless of app, and that let me launch all my most-used apps with one combination...I know they're next to die. I've seen the future and it is iOS. Apple is moving solidly and confidently towards consumer computing and away from mollycoddling the power users. The company knows where its profits come from and power users ain't it. The iPad -- with its simple interface, strong security, and dependability -- has set the standard for what's next. For all the moments when I want to rage against the coming of the Nanny OS, I know it's on its way. I've lived in iOS now for 5 years. I've played in the sandbox, I've grown to know the sandbox, I've come to accept the sandbox. I'm not super thrilled by it, but you can't deny the reality. While there's no indication Apple intends to prevent the sale of apps with [systemwide] hotkey functionality outside the App Store, it is clear Apple is working to simplify the user experience within the Mac App Store, and that means "power user" utilities are at risk. Goodbye hotkeys, macro programs, end-user customization, and all the detritus of operating systems that were full of holes to crawl into and dumpsters wherein to dive. The new, clean way of computing is on its way. It may be a lot less fun but it's gonna sell a hell of a lot of Macs. Thanks, Gwynne Raskind for providing feedback during the writing of this post.
Dynamite Jack now available
Phil Hassey's title Dynamite Jack, first seen by us at GDC earlier this year, is now available for purchase on Steam. It's only $4.99 usually, and it's actually on a launch sale for $3.99 right now, so if you need something to play this weekend, it would be a perfect choice. I really like the game's combination of stealth and action, and it's got a nice retro style that's clear, simple, and fun. The only reason you might not want to grab it just yet is that it's still coming to the Mac App Store soon -- Hassey says that he couldn't quite swing a simultaneous release, so the Mac App Store version might have a few extra features that the version on Steam doesn't have just yet. And Hassey says he's also going to be hard at work on an iPad version as well, so if you'd rather play the game on a tablet, you might want to wait. But the game is a lot of fun, and at just a few bucks, it's worth a look for sure.
HackStore collects non-Mac App Store apps together
The Cydia store serves up apps to those with jailbroken iOS devices, but what about Mac users who don't want to use Apple's Mac App Store? Now, they have HackStore, a free app put together by Andrey Fedotov. HackStore is a collection of non-Mac App Store releases like Filezilla, GIMP, and Plex. Yes, you could just go to the various websites and download those apps for free, but why should those who don't want to play in Apple's walled garden miss out on a real App Store experience? The drawback is that, just like Cydia, most of these apps haven't been sanctioned by Apple directly, so download and install these at your own risk. HackStore does allow those unwilling to be part of Apple's system to have a little system of their own. As Fedotov says, "This program for me is the epitome of Cydia for iOS, but on a Mac OS." Whatever doesn't fly in the official store, he'll happily put in this app. And no jailbreaking needed! [via Engadget]
Flare for Mac version 1.3 adds new shuffle feature
Flare is a fun Mac app for adding effects and filters to your digital photographs. The Iconfactory has released version 1.3 of Flare with a number of changes, including one that adds a bit of randomness to the effect you apply. The Shuffle feature is used once you've applied one of the built-in presets to an image. What it does is slightly tweak the settings in that preset to add a random variation. Other improvements to Flare include the ability to add multiple presets to an image by dragging and dropping them, better control of the quality of JPEG images while exporting them, a new cropping aspect ration of 4x5, and more robust final rendering when you're exporting an image. Flare also now supports Application Sandbox, a step towards compatibility with the forthcoming Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. That feature improves the security of the app and your Mac. Iconfactory also notes that a number of bugs have been squashed with the latest release. The update is available from the Mac App Store now.
Apple pulls iWork, Aperture trials from site
Apple pulled the trial versions of Aperture 3 and productivity suite iWork '09 from its website, according to a report from MacStories. The links that previously contained download instructions now redirect users to the Mac App Store. An Apple support forum post suggests the Aperture trial was pulled a while ago. The iWork suite of apps, which includes Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, are available in the Mac App Store for US$19.99 each. Aperture is available for $79.99.
Will TUAW skip its Talkcast tonight?
We meet again, Sunday. At least this one has been mildly entertaining in some respects (for example, the trimumphant return of the Apple Store Playset to ThinkGeek's front page and TUAW's honoring of Betteridge's Law for the day). While fun, it is not a joke that we'll be firing up the Talkcast starting at 7PM Pacific time, 10pm Eastern. We'll discuss App Stores for Mac OS and iOS; specifically the high points and low points of each. We'll also spend a bit of time on the Fair Labor Association report released this week. As usual, Kelly's hosting the show means there will be aftershow. Unlike the cake, the aftershow is NOT a lie. (Sometimes the aftershow has cake discussion as well, but that's another story.) Since it's really all about you, the community, join me won't you? To participate, you can use the browser-only Talkshoe client, the embedded Facebook app, or download the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for +5 Interactivity, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the Talkshoe Web button on our profile page at 4 HI/7 PDT/10 pm EDT Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (Viva free weekend minutes!): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free X-Lite or other SIP clients (aside from Skype or Google Voice), basic instructions are here. (If you prefer Blink, the pro version is available in the Mac App Store.) Talk to you tonight!
Bioshock 2 for Mac (finally) out now
Better late than never, I guess. Bioshock 2 has finally (more than two years after the PC release) arrived on the Mac as a port from Feral Interactive. This one is the sequel to the classic title from Ken Levine (who's currently working on the next game in the series, Bioshock Infinite), and while it's not quite as good as the original, it does add some new elements to the gameplay, and if nothing else, will return you to Rapture, the ruined underwater city that's been one of the most fascinating settings in video games over the last decade or so. This version also contains the Fall of Rapture multiplayer game, so you can face off against other players online if you like. The price is $30.99, and you can grab the game from Feral Interactive directly, or pick it up on the Mac App Store.
Apple introduces Developer ID, laying groundwork for Gatekeeper
Apple sent out an email today asking developers in its various programs to go ahead and get their applications ready with the Developer ID program, which is basically a new form of certifying apps that run on your Mac or iOS device. Developers can request a certificate through the tools included in Xcode, and then when Mountain Lion arrives and Gatekeeper is running on your Mac, developers can include that certificate and install and run their apps without issue. You will still be able to run apps without a Developer ID included (for now), but Apple says you will get a warning when doing so. Apple's pitching Gatekeeper as a way to keep users from running malware on their Macs, but of course a program like this also helps keep the app ecosystem more closed, allowing Apple just a little more control over what runs on your Mac. Most developers, however, will probably want to go ahead and sign up for this, so that when Mountain Lion arrives, their apps don't face any issues. Apple's also posted a guide to getting started with Developer ID, so if you have any other questions, you can sign in with your login over there and read through it.
Apple: developers now have until June 1 to sandbox apps for the Mac App Store
Back in the fall, Apple gave developers an ultimatum: sandbox your applications, or see yourself out of the Mac App Store and sell your apps elsewhere. Originally, devs had until March 1st to make the change, which limits the resources apps can access, thereby making a malware infection less likely. Still, sandboxing inherently means less control for developers: the fewer resources an app can use, the less it can actually do. Well, code monkeys, you've now got a few more months to decide which camp you'd rather be in: Apple has extended that deadline to June 1st. As MacRumors notes, the move comes amid mounting concerns from developers, who have been complaining of bugs and other issues associated with the sandboxing process. In a statement on its developer site, Apple gave a pithier explanation, saying it wants to give devs more time to make use of new sandboxing entitlements available in OS X 10.7.3, along with new APIs in Xcode 4.3.
App-ocalypse soon: Apple extends sandboxing deadlines, but restrictions loom
Image: Shutterstock Apple issued a three month extension on application sandboxing today, giving devs a little more breathing room before new rules take over. June 1 2012 is now the enforcement date. We've been having many discussions about Mac development in the TUAW backchannel over the last week. The introduction of GateKeeper and the notion of signed apps, sandboxing, and developer IDs have us talking about where Apple is taking the Mac, and will be moving Mac development in general. Overall, we think things are moving towards a win for consumers and better opportunities for devs. Read on to learn more about these technologies, and how they affect developers and App Store. GateKeeper is Apple's new approach to making your Mac safer by giving you control over which applications may download and run on your computer. With GateKeeper, developers sign apps to authenticate them with the OS -- both apps that you purchase from the Mac App Store and, at the developer's option, also apps you purchase elsewhere. With Mountain Lion, you choose which apps are allowed to run. You'll be able to disable GateKeeper and run apps from anywhere if you like, although this is not the default setting. The thing is this: Apple continues moving towards a more controlled, less open, more appliance-like concept of what a Mac means. That redefinition is causing ripples, affecting app development more and more. Applications can do fewer things, access fewer system resources, and control other apps less than they did in the past. Developers who choose to enroll in the Mac development program pay a $99/year fee just as those who enroll in the iOS development program do. Once enrolled, they can sign their apps as identified developers -- as well as gain access to early beta versions of unreleased operating systems. When the iPhone SDK first debuted, many people including yours truly complained about what couldn't be done with the APIs: what files could be accessed, what routines could be called, and so forth. Coming from a general computing background, one learns to expect to build whatever one can imagine. If the building blocks are there, then why not build whatever tools you need? That all ties into a background of fully open computing. Apple's policy split the dev community into the jailbreak world and the App Store world, with many people crossing over depending on what they were building. Under jailbreak, developers gain full access to the entire iOS file system and run apps in a fully privileged mode. This gives devs a much broader development vocabulary to work with. The jailbreak world became known for its innovation, with Apple mining those forward-looking ideas and free R&D and bringing them into successive iterations of their operating system. At the same time, developers had to change. If they wanted to market through App Store, they had to relinquish product ideas that wouldn't work within the more closed-off system that App Store submission required and look instead for opportunities of development that were allowed. No one can look at App Store today, with its countless apps, and say that Apple denied developers opportunity. It's just a somewhat different opportunity than many developers expected. It's an opportunity that restricted certain kinds of applications, most typically OS enhancements and utilities (which have flourished on other mobile platforms with less oversight of developer access). Overall, Apple has provided better tools, better marketing, and better sales avenues than had existed before. The end result has been apps that are significantly better than previous generations. And now, Apple is doing the same thing for the Mac. This is emotionally hard for some long-term devs like me. We want Linux-y freedom for whatever we want to build and distribute. Now, with sandboxing (a technique that restricts application access to full system files; all apps that are not sandboxed will be removed from the Mac App Store starting June 1st [Update: Older apps will still be on the store and allowed bug fixes- Ed.]) and GateKeeper (limiting apps to those that are signed and authenticated), Apple is setting a new default: software consumers will expect to be protected, and will expect that any item being delivered to them will comply with Apple policies. We developers have two choices: either opt in to Apple's signing (developer IS) and/or distribution system (App Store), or limit ourselves to only those customers savvy enough to opt out to the "all's fair" system. It's essentially a Mac jailbreak--just without all the pain of waiting for the next untethered release. (Speaking of which, yes, it would be lovely if this idea goes exactly back to the iPhone, so we don't have to wait on those exploits and releases.) Apple's brave new world for the Mac gets that there are "power" users and "consumers." And it also gets that the latter category vastly outnumbers the former. As it builds new and better operating systems that retain desktop functionality, it is shaping computing to match consumer needs and wants, not developers. Not everything is roses. Some devs are complaining--with good reason--that Apple's approach to proprietary technologies will prevent them from selling off the App Store for iCloud features, for example. If you want to tie into those APIs, you won't be able to go to third party merchandising storefronts to sell your software. App Store-exclusive features will tie developers further into Mac App Store and to Apple's 30% cut. Those Apple-specific technologies will continue to grow over time. What's more, developers must continue putting pressure on Apple to extend entitlements, allowing apps to grow the kinds of resource access they are allowed under Apple's sandbox system. The current set of entitlement restrictions seems unnaturally limited. Just as iOS's App Store has responded to developer requests, the Mac environment will have to soften restrictive rough edges over time. A passionate and involved developer community will help those changes happen. Community-sourced advocacy such as Tim Burks' Open Radar project allow developers to cooperatively brainstorm and strategize about which access issues are the most important to them. In the end, this is going to be an amazing end-point for consumers. You can talk about "what has existed for a generation," but that means things like Microsoft Word. There is no way anyone can argue that MS Word was an amazing end-point for general consumers. It's a wake-up call for devs who have stuck with Apple through the dark years. Apple is changing up the game. Devs have to change it up too. And if Apple's success with iOS App Store is any indication there will be more opportunity and better chances at creating a living than ever before. Thanks, Remy "Psy" Demerest, Kyle Kinkade, |Agent
OS X Mountain Lion to be download-only, USB stick going the way of the dodo
Last time around, Apple was cognizant not everyone has broadband to download a 4GB OS, offering solace to those with slow internet with a (pricey $69) USB stick alternative. Times change though, as Cupertino's confirmed to Pocket-lint that the recently unveiled OS X Mountain Lion won't be offered with a physical counterpart. Apple's reasoning? "It was an interesting test, but it turns out the App Store was just fine for getting the new OS." So there's that. High time you took the plunge and upgraded to broadband apparently, or contemplated moving within the vicinity of an Apple Retail Store's willing WiFi. That or you could just buy a new machine. Your call.
Mountain Lion to move Software Update to the Mac App Store
Every version of OS X has featured a standalone application called Software Update that delivers updates to Apple's operating system, applications, and hardware drivers. According to Pocket Lint, Software Update is being deprecated in the next version of OS X, Mountain Lion, in favor of delivering software updates entirely via the Mac App Store instead. After OS X Lion was made available only via the Mac App Store, it created a somewhat confusing situation where Apple's own programs were updated via the standalone Software Update application while many third-party apps were updated via the Mac App Store. Mountain Lion eliminates this confusion and makes the Mac experience more like that on iOS devices; Mountain Lion users will have only one interface to reckon with when updating software components on their Macs. Presumably Apple will continue to deliver updates via Software Update for Mac users running legacy operating systems like Snow Leopard (and soon, Lion). Hopefully Apple will also continue to offer standalone updates on its support site so paranoid users like me can keep downloading and applying combo updates when OS X updates come out.
Spirits out on Mac App Store now
Spirits is a really amazing title that original came out on iOS last year: It's sort of a Lemmings clone, though the art style and the game's floaty physics mechanics really add a lot of great new elements to that old classic. Now, Spaces of Play has brought the game to the Mac App Store, so if you haven't gotten to play it yet, you can see it on the big screen with full audio running. Unfortunately, there's no new content available, but Spaces of Play has of course tweaked the game's graphics and interface to work on the desktop rather than on a touchscreen. And given how good this game looks, this might be the ideal version to play with -- obviously, it lacks the tactile input of a touchscreen, but here the game's aesthetic can really stretch out across the screen, and your fingers can get out of the way. Spirits for Mac is available now for an introductory sale price of $7.99 -- if you haven't played it yet, now's your chance.
Daily Mac App: Gemini finds and removes duplicate files
After years of buying hard drives and moving files around, digital hoarders like myself eventually wind up with duplicate files all over the place. A few gigabytes here and there can add up, so Gemini aims to help you find and delete duplicate files across devices. It's a beautifully designed app, and if you're doing basic directory comparisons, is fast as lightning. To start, you just drag a few folders onto Gemini. It'll start scanning with a big circular progress bar moving around. One of the awesome features I've not seen elsewhere is the ability to see the results of a scan and do something about them while the app continues to scour your folders. Gemini is fast even though you can be impatient, which is a plus if you scan a really large set of folders. One issue I did run into was scanning a nearly-full 500 GB drive that had my Time Machine backups on it. The machine using Gemini only had about 5 GB of space available on its drive, and after about an hour of Gemini checking the external drive, my system locked up as it ran out of drive space! This is an oddball issue, according to MacPaw, and they are looking into it. That said, all the other scans of large folders I attempted worked great and went quickly without eating up HD space. Gemini's speed is really impressive. As a bonus, Gemini offers a delightfully designed interface. When you are shown duplicates, you can easily see where they are located, pick the ones you want to delete, then view a receipt of what you want to remove before you delete it. Then, when you are sure, Gemini "shreds" the receipt (and files) before your eyes. Taking something rather tedious (file management) and making it fun turns Gemini into a must-have app if you have years of files stored on external drives around your home.
Apple updates Final Cut Pro X with multicam, more
Apple released an update to Final Cut Pro X, bringing the video editing app to version 10.0.3. The latest update adds several significant features for video professionals including new advanced chroma keying, support for XML 1.1 and beta broadcast monitoring for Thunderbolt devices and PCIe cards. The most significant change is its new multicam editing feature that lets you sync up to 64 angles of video and photos. Though you can still do it manually, this multicam editing feature will automatically sync the incoming feeds. Jim Dalrymple of the The Loop talked with Richard Townhill, Senior Director of Applications Marketing at Apple, about these new features, including the automatic syncing. Townhill explains that FCP X uses audio waveforms from the different cameras to sync them together. The audio doesn't have to be the final production track and can be used for syncing purposes only. Customers who own Final Cut Pro can download the 10.0.3 update from the Mac App Store later today. New customers can purchase the latest version from the Mac App Store for US$299. [Via The Loop] Show full PR text Apple Updates Final Cut Pro X CUPERTINO, California-January 31, 2012-Apple® today released Final Cut Pro® X v10.0.3, a significant update to its revolutionary professional video editing application, which introduces multicam editing that automatically syncs up to 64 angles of video and photos; advanced chroma keying for handling complex adjustments right in the app; and enhanced XML for a richer interchange with third party apps and plug-ins that support the fast growing Final Cut Pro X ecosystem. Available today as a free update from the Mac® App Store™, Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 also includes a beta of broadcast monitoring that supports Thunderbolt devices as well as PCIe cards. Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 includes a collection of groundbreaking new tools for editing multicam projects. Final Cut Pro X automatically syncs clips from your shoot using audio waveforms, time and date, or timecode to create a Multicam Clip with up to 64 angles of video, which can include mixed formats, frame sizes and frame rates. The powerful Angle Editor allows you to dive into your Multicam Clip to make precise adjustments, and the Angle Viewer lets you play back multiple angles at the same time and seamlessly cut between them. Final Cut Pro X builds upon its robust, one-step chroma key with the addition of advanced controls including color sampling, edge adjustment and light wrap. You can tackle complex keying challenges right in Final Cut Pro X, without having to export to a motion graphics application, and view your results instantly with realtime playback. In the seven months since launch, the third party ecosystem around Final Cut Pro X has expanded dramatically. XML-compatible software like DaVinci Resolve and CatDV provide tight integration for tasks such as color correction and media management. The new 7toX app from Intelligent Assistance uses XML to import Final Cut Pro 7 projects into Final Cut Pro X. In addition, some of the industry's largest visual effects developers, including GenArts and Red Giant, have developed motion graphics plug-ins that take advantage of the speed and real-time preview capabilities of Final Cut Pro X. Broadcast monitoring in Final Cut Pro X is currently in beta and allows you to connect to waveform displays, vectorscopes, and calibrated, high-quality monitors to ensure that your project meets broadcast specifications. Final Cut Pro X supports monitoring of video and audio through Thunderbolt I/O devices, as well as through third party PCIe cards. Pricing & Availability Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 is available from the Mac App Store for $299.99 (US) to new users, or as a free update for existing Final Cut Pro X customers. A 30-day free trial of Final Cut Pro X is available at www.apple.com/finalcutpro/trial. Full system requirements and more information on Final Cut Pro X can be found at www.apple.com/finalcutpro. Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.
